London Broil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
London Broil is a beef-based food dish usually made by broiling or grilling marinated flank or round steak and then cutting it against the grain into thin strips.
Although many butchers will label a cut of meat "London Broil", the term does not refer to a specific cut. The cut of meat traditionally used is flank steak, but top round roast/steak is also commonly used. Because the muscle fibers run the entire length of these cuts, the meat can be tough if not tenderized via pounding or massaging. Scoring, stabbing, cutting, penetrating, or otherwise mutilating the cut before sending it into the broiler will ruin an expensive piece of beef by letting all the desirable bloody juices run out of the meat into the pan. Before broiling the whole pieces, the beef should "set" for five minutes outside of the oven to give the juices time to congeal a little bit; otherwise, the blood will just end up in the plate.
The preparation of London Broil typically involves marinating the meat for several hours followed by heating in an oven broiler or outdoor grill. In both heating methods the meat is placed approximately three inches from a direct heat source and turned several times to promote even cooking and avoid burning. It is commonly served in thin slices, cut across the grain.